RedBreasts and BlackBirds

(2022)

The publication’s contents are a series of photographs taken on the Hull kingston Rovers and Hull FC ‘Good Friday’ Derby Day. The project endeavours to showcase the lovable characters and the sense of community that the game of Rugby League produces, reacting against the injustices of the media's portrayal of the game on a national scale over the years. The Publications also include informational content detailing some of the ways in which fans within their own communities have come together in times of turmoil.

The main objective of “Redbreasts and Blackbirds” is to fill a gap within the market in terms of design for the sport of ‘Rugby League’. Ingrained into the generational fabric of families throughout Yorkshire, Rugby League is a game that brings people together and has produced many hardworking humble characters who are responsible for being pillars of their communities and aspiring role models for locals. On a national scale the sport is largely unacknowledged and neglected, However it is this exact aspect of the game that makes it all the more special. There is something to be said for the boisterous tenacity and obstreperous nature of the sports fanbase, The obscurity of the sport seems to have created a community of feircly loyal support that sticks together even more fiercely than any other, in particular when it comes to a good cause. It is precisely this community and the lovable characters and families that are in it that this publication wishes
to commemorate.

The Publications information section, inspired by Rugby League programmes and ephemera from the 1980’s, with a grid specially designed to replicate the areas marked out on a rugby pitch. The fonts used within the booklet were all bespoke typfaces designed to replicate fonts used within vintage sports programmes and annuals to remain consistent with the publications subject matter whilst maintaining a fun and playful nostalgic tone of voice. illustrations drawing upon the characateurisation of rugby mascots and the satirical comic strips often found in rugby programmes.

Designed to replicate the black letter fonts used within vintage sports programmes, ‘Red Letter’ is a font that can be utilised best within physical print. The font has a certain quirky impreciseness that attempts to emulate the use of a letter press without going to all of the trouble! The irregularity creates a characterful typeface that can stand alone as an illustrative element within a publications spread, or as a quirky title font. Although the font has borrowed elements of blackletter, there is a simplicity that makes it legible, balancing nicely between practicality and decoration making it very versatile when condisering scaling.

‘RL SANS’ is a display font specially designed for use within a publication about the sport of rugby league. The letter design was influenced by vintage childrens football annuals, using playful rounded edges to give the font a sleek and simplistic stylisation that would be readable, characterful and versatile when considering products within sports centred design such as bold signage and sports programme display fonts. another aspect of ‘RL SANS’ features is the double horizontal splicing which is placed to scale of the 25 yard s line at either side of the halfway line within a rugby pitch.

The Following Designs were from a “TRY” poster that was designed with the purpose of being handed out on the derby matchday where the main photographical content would be taken for the publication. These posters alongside a range of sticker designs were created for fans to take away a small visual memento from the match as thanks for taking part, whilst also spreading awareness for the project itself.

The photobooks front cover is made from a paper stock that has been embossed to replicate leather. The contents stock is newsprint for a cost efficient, tactile and familiar feel.

The final section of the publication is a booklet consisting of film photographs taken on the derby match day showing some moments captured from a slightly less staged point of view to create a further visual story of the day as a fan.